The objectives of this project are to describe the prevalence of hearing impairment in the Framingham cohort by demographic characteristics, to investigate the relationship between the severity of hearing impairment and risk factors for hearing loss, and to examine possible relationships between hearing impairment and cardiovascular risk factors and events. Hearing data collected during Cycle 15 of the Framingham Heart Study (1978-1979) have been analyzed to estimate the prevalence of hearing impairment among the Framingham cohort. The risk factors that might be associated with hearing loss found in this population are being examined.